Call-register.



Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. P. BAIRD.

CALL REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1908.

THE mmms PETERS L0,. wasmmnou, u. c

E. P. BAIRD. I

CALL REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 190m Patnfed D60. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE "cums PETERS 00., wAsI-uucmlv, n. c

E. P. BAIRD.

CALL REGISTER.

APPLIOATION FILED mum, 190s.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W li

E. P. BAIRD.

CALL REGISTER.

' APPLIOATION FILED JULYSI, 1908.

908,376. Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

was NORRIS PETERS co. WASHINGTON, o. c

unrrno STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD P. BAIRD, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BAIRD MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CALL-RE GIS'IER.

Original application filed July 11, 1902, Serial No. 115,119.

Serial No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD I. BAIRD, a resident of Evanston, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Oall-ltegisters, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to registering-devices, e. g., those employed forindicating the number of calls made at the sub-station of a telephonesystem, and this application is a division of the subject-matter setforth in an application filed by me in the United States Patent OfficeJuly 11, 1902, Serial No. 115,110.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved telephonecall register embodying mechanism for rendering the registeradvancing-mechanism inoperative, in event the desired service cannot begiven, so that the patron, when next operating the advancing mechanismwill signal the exchange operator but will not advance the register.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view, the inclosing case being shownin section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the inclosing case being shownin section. Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation showing the opposite sideof that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section on line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig.6 is a detail section upon an enlarged scale of the mechanism forholding the regi ter-advancing pawl in inoperative position, so that theregister will not be advanced by the actuating-lever. Fig. 7 is asection on line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing one of theindicator wheels of the register and the device whereby movement isimparted to the indicator-wheel for the next higher denomination. Fig. 9is a view in vertical transverse section taken through theindicator-wheels. Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a telephone-systemhaving the inproved registering device associated therewith.

The register is located at a sub-station and usually inclosed in a case20 of any suitable Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Divided and this application filed July 31, 1908. 446,270.

construction. For convenience in construction, the several parts of thedevice are sustained upon a base-plate 21 and by a frame comprisingvertical members 22 and 23. A shaft or stud 24 is secured inframe-member 22 and on said shaft indicator or counterwheels in desirednumber are journaled. Four indicator-wheels 25, 26, 27 and 28, areprovided for indicating respectively, units, tens, hundreds andthousands. The indicating-characters or numerals are displayed on theperiphery of each wheel and it will be understood that a side-opening(not shown) will be provided at any convenient place so the recordindicated by the register may be ascertained at the sub-station wherethe register is located.

Each of the indicator-wheels is yieldingly held in position by aspring-detent 90, secured to a bracket 91 (Figs. 1 and 2). The mechanismfor advancing the register stepby-step comprises an operating-lever 29disposed outside of the case (Fig. 1) so it can be manually shifted.Said lever is rigidly secured to a sleeve 30 which is journaled in afixed bracket 31 and on a shaft 32 (Fig. 9). A crank-arm 33 (Figs. 1, 2,6, and 7) is rigidly secured to actuating-lever 29 and a pawl 34 ispivotally secured to the free end of said arm. Pawl 34 is adapted tosuccessively engage the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 35 which is rigidlysecured or integrally formed with a gearwheel 36 meshing with gear-teeth37 of indicator-wheel 25. A spring 38 holds pawl 34 normally inengagement with ratchet-wheel 35. The throw of actuating-lever 29 islimited by suitable stops 39, so that during each oscillatory shift ofthe actuating-lever, the pawl 34 will advance ratchet-wheel 38 asufficient distance to advance indicator-wheel 25 one step and to exposethe succeeding indicating numeral or character thereon. Each of theindicator-Wheels is provided with a projecting tooth 40 (Figs. 8 and 9)which is adapted to engage a gear-wheel 41 rigidly secured to orintegrally formed with a gear-wheel 42 which engages the gear-teeth 37for operating the indicator-wheel for the next higher denomination andto advance said gears one step and impart a corresponding shift to theindicator-wheel for the next I higher denomination, thus serving asmeans 1 for intermittently operating the indicatorsignal.

wheels of the higher denominations one step for each complete revolutionof the indi cator-wheel for the next lower denomination. Gear-wheels 36,42 and 41 are free to revolve on sleeve 30.

When the registering-device is associated with a telephone-system torecord the number of calls, the subscriber actuates the lever 29 afterthe central-operator has answered the 'callingsignal. Said operator isinformed of the actuation of the registering-de vice and the advancethereof by a device for producing an audible signal which issimultaneously actuated with the registering-device. Saidsignaling-mechanism comprises a pawl 43 (Figs. 2 and 7) which ispivotally sustained at the distal end of crank-arm 33 and adapted tosuccessively engage the teeth of a tappet-wheel 44 which is revolublymounted on sleeve 30, so that said tappet will be ad vanced one step foreach operation of actuating-lever 29. An arm 45 is normally held inengagement with tappet 44 (Fig. 6) by a spring 46 (Fig. 2) which holdssaid arm normally in position to be shifted by the tappetwheel 44 andrestores the arm to normal position after each operation of thesignalingdevice. Arm 45 is secured to a transverse rod or shaft 47extending to the opposite side of the case, and journaled inframe-members 22 and 23. lever 48 to the end of which a striker 49 issecured to engage and vibrate a gong or sound producing body 50.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described will be as follows: Apatron desiring telephone service will communicate with thecentral-office in the usual manner and inform the operator of the numberof the connection desired. The exchange operator will then direct thepatron to register by pulling the actuating-lever forward. Such forwardshift of the actuating-lever will rock arm 33 and cause pawl 34 toadvance ratchet- Wheel 35 and cause a corresponding rotation of thegear-wheel 36 to correspondingly shift indicator 25. After each completerevolution of one of the indicators, the indicator for the next higherdenomination will be advanced one step through the medium ofcarrying-tooth 40 and gear-Wheels 41 and 42. Simultaneously with theshift of ratchetwheel 35, pawl 43 will advance tappet 44 one step andsuch shift will cause one of the teeth thereof to rock arm 44 againstthe force of spring 46. During the latter part of the advance of tappet44, arm 45 will be released from the tooth and spring 46 will quicklyshift arm 45, striker-lever 48, and striker 49 to cause the striker toengage and vibrate gong 50 and thus produce an audible The apparatus isusually secured to the back board of'a telephone-set so audiblesignalsproduced in the apparatus will be clearly conducted by the transmitterof the Rod 47 is provided with a striker weight 59 holds the detentnormally in pos1- telephone and the telephone line to the operator atthe central office. Such signal informs the central operator that theregister has been actuated to record the call. The central operator willthen as certain if the desired connection can be made. If the derisedconnection is given, no further operation of the register or by thecentral operator is necessary. As, however, the desired connectioncannot always be made, it is necessary to provide means whereby thesubscriber will be credited with the call already registered, tocompensate for the overcharge. 1n registering-devices embodying theinvention, the register is allowed to remain in its advanced positionand mechanism is provided whereby the succeeding operation of theactuating-lever 29 will produce the audible signal ithout advancing theregister. The means for preventing the advance of the register,comprises a lifter 51 (F igs. 6 and 7) secured to a cross-rod or shaft52 which is journaled in a bracket 53 and a standard 54. Lifter 51 isextended into position to engage a stud 55 on pawl 34 and is adapted tohold said pawl out of engagement with ratchet-wheel 35 to render theactuating-lever 29 inoperative to advance the register. Lifter 51 isprovided with an extension 56 adapted to be held by a detent 57pivotally secured as at 58 to bracket 53. A

tion to engage the lifter. A trip-arm 60 for engaging detent 57 torelease the lifter is secured to pawl 34. lVhen said pawl is held inraised position by the lifter 51 so that ratchetwheel 35 will beinoperative by said pawl, and the actuating-lever 29 is operated toshift said pawl, the trip-arm 60 will engage the detent 57 to releasethe lifter. Thus said arm 60 causes the lifter to be restored to normalposition and the pawl 31 to be restored into operative position when theactuating-lever and signaling mechanism have been operated once whilethe pawl 34 is inoperative. Lifter 51 is manually shifted by the patronunder control of the operator at the central office. A rod 60 (Fig. 4)is slidably mounted in a guide 61 which is sustained by standards 54 and55. Rod 60 is projected through the case and its terminal is providedwith a handle or knob 62 Whereby it may be pulled outwardly. A latch 63normally secures rod 60 against suflicient longitudinal movement toshift lifter 51, said latch being arranged to engage a notch 64 formedin rod 60.

Lifter-rod 52 is proided with an arm 65 extended into position to beengaged by a cam 66 formed on rod 60. Latch 63 is under control of thecentral-operator and is shifted to release rod 60 by anarmature-operated releasing-lever 67 vhich is pi 'otally sustained as at68. An armature 69 is secured to lever 67 and a projecting terminal 70of said lever engages the bifurcated terminal of latch 63. A stud 71(Fig. 5) is secured to one side of rod 60 and extends through anelongated slot 72 formed in guide 61, to engage and shift a strikeroperating leier 73 which is pi 'otally sustained at 74. A dog 75,pi'.'otally secured to the lower end of lei'er 73, is adapted to engagean extension 76 of the striker-1e er 48 and is held normally against astop 77 by a spring 78 so that during the forward shift of rod 60 saiddog will be positively shifted to operate the extension 76 on thestriker-le er and during its retraction it will ride O'.'6I' saidextension of the striker-1e er. Thus, when the rod 60 is operated torender the register advancingmeans inoperati' e, 1e -er 73 and dog 75will operate the striker 49 to produce an audible signal.

Electro-magnetic means for controlling the operation of the rod 60 torender the register advancing-means inoperati' 'e, is provided so thatan operator at the distant station can control the operation of themechanism for rendering the register inoperati e by the ad 'ancingmeans.This electro-magnetic means comprises a magnet 79 con eniently sustainedin case 20 and an electric circuit in which said magnet is interposed.Electro-magnet 79 ser es to shift armature 69 to operate thereleasing-1e "er 67 and latch 63, to permit actuation of rod 60 and theparts controlled thereby. The electric circuit in which said magnet isincluded, is normally open at the sub-station, being connected to aswitch comprising two springcontacts 80 and 81 (Fig. 3). These contactsare con eniently secured to a terminal-block 82 of insulating materialand are insulated from each other. Le or 73 is provided with anextension 83 which normally engages a strip of insulating materialsecured to the rojecting terminal of contact-spring 80 and holds suchspring away from contact-spring 81. Rod 60 has an initial limited mo"'ement independent of latch 63, during which contacts 80 and 81 arebrought into engagement to close the electric circuit wherein thereleasing-magnet 79 is included. WVhen rod 60 is pulled forward, arm 83will promptly permit contacts 80 and 81 to engage each other to closethe electric circuit so that when current is impressed into the line inWhich the electric magnet 79 is interposed, armature 69 will beattracted by said magnet and cause releasing-le' 'er 67 to disengagelatch 63 from rod 60 and permit further forward moiement of the rod.When the rod is mo- 'ed further forward, cam 66 will raise arm 65 torock lifter-arm 52 and raise lifter 51 into posi-' tion to cause itsextension 56 to be caught and held by detent 57. While the lifter is inraised position (dotted lines Fig. 6), the cur ed mner end thereof willretain pawl 34 out of engagement with ratchet 35 and hold it free tomove independently of the ratchet during the succeeding operation ofactuating-le'ier 29.

During the forward shift of rod 60, stud 71 Will shift lever 73 to causedog 75 to shift and release striker lever 48 so that gong 50 Will beactuated to produce an audib e signal, thus informing the centraloperator that the mechanism for actuating the register has been set torender the register inoperative during the succeeding operation of theactuating-lever. A spring 84 restores rod 60, lever 73 and the switch tonormal position after each operation of said rod.

The operation of the mechanism for preventing the advance of theregister during a single succeeding shift of the actuating-lever will beas follows: The operator at the central office will impress current intothe line in which the magnet 79 is included and request the patron topull rod 60. During the initial forward shift of rod 60, stud 71 Willshift lever 73 and switch-arm 83 will permit the flexiblecontact-springs 80 and 81 to engage each other, thus closing thenormally open circuit at the sub-station. Current will then pass throughmagnet 79 and armature 69 will be attracted thereby. Such operation ofthe armature will rock releasing-lever 67 to lift latch 63 out of notch64 and then rod 60 will be flee to be pulled forward. During suchfurther forward movement of said rod, cam 66 will engage and rock arm 65and 0scillate the lifter-rod 52 to raise lifter 51 until detent 57catches and retains extension 56 of the lifter. In raised position, thelifter 51 will engage stud 55 to hold pawl 34 disengaged fromratchet-wheel 35 and the lifter will be held in raised position bydetent 57. The mechanism for advancing the register step-by-step willthen be inoperative to effect advance of the register. During theforward shift of rod 60, stud 71 will shift lever 73 and cause dog 75 tooperate the striker-lever 48 so that the striker 49 will, under theforce of spring 46, actuate gong 50 to produce a signal When rod 60 isreleased, spring 84 will'restore rod 60, lever 73 and connected parts tonormal position. During the retraction of rod 60, dog 75 will be free totravel over arm 76 of the striker-lever and switch-arm 83 will separatespring-contacts 80 and 81 from each other. Lifter 51, rod 52 and arm 65will remain in shifted position until the register-advancing mechanismis again operated. The audible signal produced by gong 50 during theforward shift of rod 60 will indicate to the operator at the centraloffice that the advancing-mechanism has been set and renderedinoperative to effect advance of the register during the succeedingshift of the advancing mechanism. When service is againldes'ired, thepatron will effect communication with the central office in the usualmanner. When directed to register the patron will shift actuatinglever29 as heretofore. Pawl 34, being disengaged from ratchet-wheel 35, willnot ad vance the register and pawl 46 will advance tappet-wheel 44 toeffect operation of strikerlever 48 to indicate to the operator at thecentral station that the register advancingmechanism has been operated.During the latter part of the forward shift of the actuating-lever 29trip-arm 60 on pawl 34 will engage and shift detent 57 to release lifter51 and thus restore the lifter to normal position so that theadvancing-mechanism will be again placed in operative relation withrespect to the register.

In Fig. 10 of the drawings, the electromagnet for controlling theoperation of the mechanism for rendering the register inoperative by theadvancing-means, is illustrated as connected to a telephone-system. Theexchange is equipped with a switchboard comprising a spring-jack 200 anda line-signal 201 and the exchange is connected to the sub-station atwhich the register is located, by branch-conductors 203, 203. Thesub-station is shown as provided with a telephone-set 204 of usualarrangement and construction. Contact-spring 80 is connected by aconductor 208 to one of the lineconductors and contact-spring 81 isconnected by a conductor 207 to relay 79, and a conductor 211 connectssaid relay with ground. At the central-station, a key-switch, comprisingsprings 218 and 219 is included in the usual conductors 212 of acord-loop which terminates in a switch-play 213. One side of battery 215is connected by a conductor 214 with a contact-terminal adjacent spring218 and the other side of the battery is connected by a conductor 220with a contactterminal adjacent spring 219 of the keyswitch. Battery 215is also connected with ground.

W hen it is desired to release rod 60 so the registeradvancing-mechanism will be rendered inoperative during the succeedingoperation, the operation of the system will be as follows, viz: Thecentral-operator (assuming block 213 to have been inserted inspring-jack 200) will shift the key-switch of the cord-loop so springs218 and 219 will be brought into contact with conductors 214 and 220respectively. Current will then pass over a circuit as follows: groundat central-office, battery 215, conductor 214, spring 218 of thekey-switch, sleeve of play 213, conductor 208, to spring 80 and when thepatron pulls rod 60 current will pass from spring 80 to spring 81 andthence through conductor 207, relay 79 and conductor 211 to ground.Passage of current over this circuit will actuate the relay 79 to causethe rod 60 to be released so that the register advanc- 1 ing-mechanismwill be rendered inoperative as herelnbefore described.

The improved mechanism for registering telephone calls is simple inconstruction, and provides convenient means whereby credit may be givenat the substation for a call if the desired service cannot be given. Itis of further advantage because a request to register can be made at theoutset, and before the central operator ascertains whether or not thedesired service can be given, so that if the desired service can begiven, the operations necessary by the central-operator will be the sameas in a system in which the calls are not registered.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the detailsdescribed since these may be modified within the scope of the a pendedclaims without departing from t e spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register, means for rendering the register inoperative bythe advancing means, and electro-magnetic means for controlling theoperation of the means for rendering the register inoperative.

2. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register, and means under control of an operator at adistant station for rendering the register inoperative by theadvancing-means.

3. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, means for rendering theadvancing-means inoperative to effect the advance of the register duringthe succeeding operation of the advancing means and means under controlof an operator at a dis tant station for controlling the operation ofthe register by the advancing-means.

4. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing theregister ter inoperative by the advancing-means during asucceeding operation of the advancingmeans, and means for rendering theadvancing-means operative to advance the register during said succeedingoperation of the advancing-means.

5. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-s-tep, means for rendering the registerinoperative by the advancing-means, and means for restoring theadvancing means into operative relation with the register when theadvancing-means is operated without advancing the register, so that theregister a will be rendered operative when the advancing-means has beenoperated once without registering.

6. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register i step-by-step, means for rendering the registerstep-by-step, means for rendering the regisinoperative by theadvancing-means, means for restoring the advancing means into 0 erativerelation with the register when t e advancing-means is operated withoutadvancing the register, and means under control of an operator at adistant station for controlling the operation of the means which rendersthe register inoperative by the advancing-means.

7. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, means for rendering the advancingmeans inoperative to effect the advance of the register, means formanually shifting said latter means, and means under control of anoperator at a distant station for controlling the operation of saidmanually shiftable means.

8. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, means for controlling the operationof the register by said advancing-means, means for manually shiftingsaid controllingmeans, controlling-means for said shiftingmeanscomprising a relay, an electrical circuit in which said relay isinterposed and a normally open switch operated by said shifting means.

9. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, a singal-device operated by theadvancing-means, means for rendering the register inoperative by theadvancing-means, and means for operating the signal device when theadvancing-means is rendered inoperative.

10. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, a device for producing an audiblesignal operated by the advancingmeans, mechanism for rendering theregister inoperative by the advancing-means, and means for operating thesignal device when the register is rendered inoperative.

11. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, means for rendering the registerino erative by the advancingmeans, and a signa -device actuated when theregister is advanced and also when the register is rendered inoperative.

12. The combination with a tele hone call register, of means foradvancing t e register stepby-step, means for rendering the registerinoperative by the advancing-means, a signal device actuated by theadvancing means when the register is operated and electromagnetic meansfor controlling the means for rendering the register inoperative by theadvancing-means.

13. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, means for rendering theadvancing-means inoperative to effect the advance of the register, adevice for producing an audible signal actuated when the register isadvanced and electromagnetic means for controlling the operation of themeans which renders the register inoperative by the advancing-means.

14. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, means for rendering theadvancing-means inoperative to advance the register, a signaling deviceoperated by the advancing-means when the register is operative and whenthe register is inoperative by said advancing-means, andelectro-magnetic means for controlling the operation of the means whichrenders the register inoperative by the advancing-means 15. Thecombination with a telephone call register, of mechanism for advancingthe register step-by-step, means whereby said register may be renderedinoperative by said mechanism, said means comprising mechanism wherebythe patron can manually shift said means, and means whereby the manualshift can be controlled, said controllingmeans comprising a relayincluded in an electric-circuit normally open at the sub-station.

16. The combination with a telephone call register, of mechanism foradvancing the register step-by-step, means whereby said register may berendered inoperative by said mechanism, said means comprising mechanismwhereby the patron can manually shift said means, and means whereby themanual shift can be controlled, said controllingmeans comprising a relayincluded in an electric-circuit and a normally open switch operated bysaid shifting-means.

17. The combination with a telephone call register, of mechanism foradvancing the register step-by-step, means whereby said device may beactuated, means whereby said register may be rendered inoperative bysaid actuating-means, controlling-mechanism comprising a relay, and alatch controlled by said relay, a circuit wherein said relay isinterposed, a normally open switch at the substation, for controllingthe passage of current through said relay, means whereby said switch maybe shifted to cause passage of current over said circuit when theregistering device is to be rendered inoperative by the actuating-means,and a source of current for said circuit.

18. The combination with a telephone call register, of means foradvancing the register step-by-step, a signaling devlce operated whenthe register is advanced, means for rendering the register inoperativeby the advancing-means, means for rendering the register operative bythe advancing-means when the advancing-means is operated once, andelectro-magnetic means for controlling the operation of the means whichrenders the register inoperative by the advancing-means.

19. The combination with a telephone call register, of manually operatedmeans adaptistered overcharge, and a signal device adapted to compensatefor a registered overcharge, ed to be actuated when either of said means10 and electrical means under control of central is operated.

station to govern said manually operated EDWARD P BAIRD 5 means.

20. The combination with a telephone call Witnesses: register, ofmanually-operated means to reg- FRED GERLACH,

ister a charge, means to compensate for a reg- FRANK W. BEMM.

